


A Courtship of Flowers

by Foarrin



Category: Descendants (Disney Movies)
Genre: Conflicted Emotions, F/M, Flowers, Language of Flowers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-22
Updated: 2018-07-22
Packaged: 2019-06-14 14:41:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 12,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15390981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Foarrin/pseuds/Foarrin
Summary: When Audrey wakes up the day after the coronation, she is faced with a heavy decision. On the one hand is Chad Charming: perfect, stunning prince. And then there's Jay: smug, delicious thief. But prejudices die hard, and Audrey's heart isn't one to be easily changed. Jay/Audrey.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Descendants or its prequel Isle of the Lost.

Audrey opened her eyes, her face turned toward the window. Mid-morning light streamed in through the opaque pink curtains, painting the room in a warm amber glow. She yawned and scrubbed a hand over her face. She felt lighter than air, a strange content feeling in the center of her chest. At the same time, she felt sore in some places. But again, this feeling too was one of content.

The sheets were soft against her skin. They felt different that morning, and that was when she realized why. Her eyes sprang wide open. She was naked, but-

A distinct male groan came from beside her, and Audrey suddenly remembered what had happened at the after-party for the coronation the night before. She and Jay had gone off to a secluded area and had started talking. Well, it was a little quieter than talking. Hardly any words had been exchanged. It was all coming back to her now. They had gone to her room, and...continued.

Jay was lying next to her in bed.

Audrey shut her eyes, trying to block out the memories of the night before. A tight knot of regret was now coiled in her stomach. She slowly sat up and looked at Jay. He was still asleep, the covers pushed down to his waist so his bare chest was visible to her. She quickly adverted her eyes and clutched the sheets tighter to her own chest.

She swallowed. This was not supposed to happen. How could she have been so thoughtless? He was a villain kid. She was with Chad. And she cared for Chad. It wasn't like she felt nothing for him.

She got out of the bed, searching the floor for her clothes. She was halfway through zipping her dress when she heard the creak of bed springs.

"Morning, gorgeous," Jay said playfully.

Audrey ignored him, her back to him. She slid the zipper of her dress up to the middle of her back, right in the area where she couldn't reach it very well anymore. She left it like that and sat on the very edge of the bed. She bent over and pulled one heel on, wiggling her foot into the pastel pink pump. Again, the bed springs creaked, and the mattress dipped more in her direction. The hair on her arms stood up as Jay kissed just behind her ear.

"Please, don't touch me," Audrey told him, her voice a stern whisper.

Jay withdrew, but his hands were suddenly on her dress, zipping it the rest of the way up in the back. "Why? I thought you liked what we did last night."

"It was a mistake," Audrey said shortly, pulling on her other shoe and standing. She whirled around to face him, crossing her arms over her chest.

Jay frowned, confused. "Why? We were safe."

Audrey rolled her eyes. "That's not the point. I'm with Chad. And you're...you're just not my type."

Jay sat up straighter, the covers now collected around his waist so there was no doubt in Audrey's mind that he was still naked. "Not your type?" He raised an eyebrow. "So your type is princes who will ditch you for the next best thing they see?"

Audrey narrowed her eyes. "No. But I do have a certain reputation to uphold. And Chad hasn't ditched me."

"Yet." Jay got out of the bed and bent down. He pulled on his boxers and turned to face her. "Look, princess, if I'm not your type, fine. But you should have thought about that before sending mixed signals last night. You can't just sleep with me and say you felt nothing."

"It's called having emotionless sex, Jay," Audrey snapped. "Surely, you understand that. I don't have to have feelings for you to sleep with you. Didn't you do that on the Isle?"

Jay was now pulling on his jeans. "Of course, we did. But I thought that people in Auradon were different."

"What? Are you saying you have feelings for me?"

Jay buttoned his jeans. "I didn't say that."

"It was implied."

Jay glared at her. "Look, if you want to be with Chad, be my guest. I just thought you deserved better."

"And that's you? That's conceited," Audrey said. She walked over to her dresser and picked up her hairbrush. She turned back around, pointing it at him. "Furthermore, if you think proclaiming you chose good in front of everyone yesterday makes you any less of freak to me, you're wrong. You're still nothing but a thief. A villain."

Jay looked as if he'd been slapped. He silently pulled on his vest and zipped it up. "Fine." He bent to put on his boots, tying them quickly.

Audrey stood still, watching him and idly brushing the ends of her hair as she waited for him to leave. She wanted to forget the entire last few hours had happened.

He stood, and his gaze that fixed onto hers was dark and reserved. "I'll leave you alone, princess. Obviously, you and your conceited Chad Charming deserve each other. I once judged all you people in Auradon for being nothing but wealthy, extravagant airheads who didn't care about anyone but yourselves. Now I see that I was right if you're going to label me as a freak even after I've chosen to be different. You're no better than all the villains on the Isle. You send us your trash, so that's all we are to you: garbage. I'd hate to muddy your reputation by getting thief on your shoes." He snatched his beanie off the bedside table and strode to the door. Without looking back, he left and slammed the door behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N from original upload on fanfiction.net (12/14/2015): Thanks so much for reading the first chapter! I hope you guys enjoyed it. Remember to check my profile for periodic news on updates. Give this a fave, follow, and review if you liked it.
> 
> Foarrin


	2. Chapter 2

Audrey sighed heavily, shutting the door with her foot and tossing her pom-poms into the chair at her desk. She had just returned from cheer practice. Luckily, it had worked to clear her head of the previous day's argument with Jay. She hadn't seen him since that morning and was glad for it.

"Hey, you're up early," Audrey remarked to Jane, who was positioning a bow in her hair in front of her mirror. Cheer practice started at six in the morning and lasted two hours, so it was still extremely early in the morning for a Sunday.

"Yeah, Carlos invited me to lunch," Jane said. She blushed lightly as she said it.

Audrey raised an eyebrow, pulling a fresh pair of clothes out of her wardrobe to change into. "That's not for at least four hours though."

"I know, but I'm nervous. Mal and Evie are coming over in a bit to help choose an outfit and help with hair." Jane plopped down onto her bed, watching Audrey choose between a pink or blue blouse.

Audrey put the blue shirt back and turned to Jane. "Don't be nervous. It's just Carlos. He's an Isle kid. He'll be impressed either way."

Jane frowned. "I don't know. His mom's so stylish. I just...I want to look nice." She raised her eyes to Audrey's. "Jay came by while you were gone."

"What?" Audrey frowned. "Why?"

Jane pointed to Audrey's bed, and that's when she saw it. Lying in the center of her bed was a bouquet of white tulips. A black ribbon was wound around their stems, attaching a note to the bundle. She picked them up and flipped over the card to read:

 _I'm sorry._ _-J_

Audrey huffed and turned, marching out of the room. Jane called after her, but she didn't hear what she said. Audrey walked with purpose, not stopping until she had reached the boys' rooms on the other side of the dorm. She hammered on a door. It took a moment, but it finally swung inward.

"Good morning, beautiful," Jay said, no sarcasm or any other type of venom in his tone. It seemed genuine, which somehow only irritated Audrey more.

Audrey rolled her eyes and shoved the bouquet into his arms. She slipped into the room. "Good morning, yourself," she snapped. "What are those for?"

"Did you not read the card?"

She put her hands on her hips. "Of course, I read the card. It wasn't very informative, was it?"

Jay walked over to his desk and set the flowers down. "I thought it was sufficient."

"Hi, Audrey," Carlos said, looking up from where he was playing a videogame to wave at her.

She pursed her lips and gave him a nod. "Morning, Carlos." She turned back to Jay. "Ok, you're sorry. For what? Insulting me? Sleeping with me?"

"You slept with her?" Carlos asked. He was stunned enough that he didn't even notice when his character in the game was killed and ended the level.

Jay ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah. Uh, Carlos, can you just give us a second?"

Carlos shrugged and got up. He pulled on his black and white jacket. "Yeah, I'll go get us breakfast," he said and left.

Audrey was blushing. She had just assumed Jay would brag to Carlos about sleeping with her or something. She had no idea he would actually keep quiet about it. "Sorry," she muttered.

Jay sighed. "It's whatever. I thought you didn't want people knowing, so I didn't tell him. That one's on you." He crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm sorry for yelling at you, is what I meant, by the way. I was just angry. Granted, I still believe I had a good reason to be so. But, I'm sorry I yelled."

Audrey looked away from him. She couldn't talk to him when he was being thoughtful and reasonable. It made her want to apologize too, and she didn't want that. She wasn't sorry for being wary of the villain kids. She had grown up being taught that all the people on the Isle were evil and cruel. She couldn't just suddenly change her mind after they had been there for barely two weeks. It simply wasn't logical.

"Thanks," she finally said. "For apologizing."

"I also sent you the flowers because I want you to realize that I'm different than what you believe," he continued. He waved a hand to stop her when she opened her mouth to speak. "I know you're with Chad. I know you say you don't have feelings for me. I still believe you may just be denying that to yourself because of who you think I am. If nothing else, the flowers were a peace offering, something good to challenge you to...keep an open mind about me."

Audrey dropped her hands from her hips. "Fine. Whatever." It wasn't going to change anything. But, he was right: it was a nice gesture.

Jay picked up the flowers from the desk and walked back over to her. He held them out in offering, and she took them carefully, not letting her hand come into contact with his. "Also, Audrey, try not to steer Jane away from Carlos by influencing her to think he's bad or anything. If nothing else, he's the most innocent person I've ever met on the Isle. He deserves a chance at happiness."

Audrey nodded, not speaking as she cradled the flowers in the crook of her elbow. She turned to go, but Jay caught her free hand. She almost snatched her hand away, but the pleading look in his eyes made her stay still.

"Try the other too, please."

"What?" she asked.

"To keep an open mind." He raised her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it.

Audrey pulled away from him then, but she gave him a short nod of promise. "I will." She stepped back out into the hallway and shut the door behind her. She stood there for a moment, just holding the flowers and thinking. Ben had never even gotten her flowers while they had been dating. As much as she hated to admit it, Jay had done something extremely sweet, and it was something she couldn't hold against him.


	3. Chapter 3

During lunch on Monday, Audrey sat at a table at the edge of the courtyard. She had brought this isolation on herself to study for a math exam later that day. Her parents had said that if she didn't do well on this test, her birthday ball that was scheduled for the end of the month would be canceled. She would only turn seventeen once, and canceling the party was not an option in her mind. Thus, she was furiously studying algebraic equations during her only free time before her math class.

"Hey, can I join you?"

Audrey glanced up to see Chad. He looked around them before looking back at her and pushing his hands deep into his pockets. He didn't have a lunch tray with him, which told Audrey that he had eaten first before choosing the last five or so minutes of the lunch period to come see her. He should have understood how important this study time was to her after her ranting to him about her parents being unfair about her mediocre grades and her party's current jeopardy.

But that wasn't what really sent up the hairs on the back of Audrey's neck. It was the fact that she and Chad hadn't talked since Ben's coronation party. She had tried texting him to hang out Sunday night, but he hadn't replied. Then, during their morning classes that they shared and usually sat next to each other in, he hadn't shown up at all. In fact, she had assumed he had taken the day off for some reason.

"Yeah," Audrey said. She frowned and closed her math binder, knowing there would be no way she would get more studying in before the period ended. Chad's behavior and sudden appearance were sending up red flags and explosive thoughts in her mind. Did Chad possibly know about what had happened with Jay over the weekend? Why else would he be acting so strangely?

Chad sat across from her and folded his hands on the table. A moment passed, and he withdrew his hands into his lap. "I...Audrey..."

"Are you still coming to my party?" Audrey blurted. He knew. He had to know about her and Jay. She just couldn't handle that right now; maybe not ever. Why couldn't that night just be erased from time? "My mom wants you to come over to see my dress so you can get a matching tie. Remember, it's formal."

"Yes, I...I remember," Chad said softly. "Listen, uh, Audrey, something happened Saturday night...after the coronation."

Audrey sucked in a breath. A ball of needles was lodged in her chest, making it uncomfortable to breathe. "Yes, Chad, I'm so sorry, I-"

"What?" Chad blinked. "What are you sorry for? I'm the one..." He swallowed and looked away from her, refusing to make eye contact. "I'm the one who should be sorry. I cheated on you. I'm so sorry."

Audrey's hands dropped from the piece of hair she had been nervously working into a knot around her finger. "You...what?" Had she heard him correctly? He had cheated? With who?! And why was relief spreading through her chest as if she were being doused in warm water?

"I cheated," Chad said, lowering his voice. "It was wrong, and I...I'm so sorry." He scrubbed a hand over his face. "I didn't know what to tell you or how to say it. I just...I...and Evie..." He swallowed and closed his eyes. "I'm so sorry."

Audrey clenched her jaw tightly at the mention of Evie's name. So, they had both cheated with Villain Kids. How ironic. What was it about them that made them so appealing? Was it some forbidden fruit complex or bad boy or girl thing? Either way, Chad's revelation sent a jolt of fury through Audrey. He could have at least picked someone decent to cheat on her with.

Audrey forced herself to relax and then swallowed. "You're not the only one who's sorry. I, uh...Jay and I..." She shook her head, deciding not to elaborate. "I cheated too. Also after Ben's coronation."

Chad looked up, his eyes wide and searching as if he expected her to laugh and claim she was just mocking him in his moment of severe vulnerability. "You...and Jay?"

Audrey nodded and began twisting her hair around her finger again. "It was a mistake. We both made mistakes, Chad. They were just...lapses of good judgment. It's easy to get sucked into the whole idea that they're suddenly good and stuff, and maybe that's all it was."

Chad abruptly looked away again. "That may be the case for you," he whispered.

"What do you mean? You...do you have real feelings for Evie?" Audrey asked with a laugh. Then she sobered when she saw his grim and guilty expression. "You're serious. You like Evie as more than a one-time thing, don't you?"

Chad slowly nodded. "I think so, yes. And I think she likes me too."

"Yeah, but..." Now anger was rising in Audrey's chest. For a moment, she had thought that if they had both had one night stands and both regretted it that they could just move on and forget about it. Their equal deeds would neutralize each other. After all, she couldn't be angry at Chad for something she had done too. But now, he was saying he felt things for Evie. Now... "But what about us?"

"I don't know," Chad said, looking at the tabletop. "I don't know that there should be an 'us' anymore. If we both cheated-"

"But I don't feel anything for Jay!" Audrey objected.

Chad raised his eyes to meet hers. "Maybe not. But if we both really loved each other, neither one of us would have cheated. I think that's a sign. I mean...were we ever really in love? I know you originally started dating me to make Ben jealous. Has that ever changed? Or was our relationship just convenient?"

Audrey flinched as if her binder had just spontaneously combusted in front of her. "I..." Yes, he was right. She knew instantly once the words were out of his mouth that he was totally correct. She cared for him, but as more of a friend. And her affections had never grown past that. It had been convenient to date Chad both to make Ben jealous and to have a date for her coming party. But now that she had been called out on it, it was as if all her subconscious motives for dating Chad had been put under a spotlight. And those motives didn't look pretty when exposed.

Chad nodded, seemingly reading her silence and expression as good enough of an answer. "That's what I thought. Audrey, we're only hurting ourselves by staying in this relationship. We both cheated, and I think that means we both want totally different things that we can't find in each other."

Audrey pressed her lips together. "And for you, that's Evie, right?"

"I...I hope so." A hint of a smile flickered across Chad's features. "And maybe for you, that's Jay."

Audrey was on her feet instantly. Somewhere in the distance and the back of her mind, she could hear the bell for the end of lunch ringing. Everyone was now getting up around the courtyard to throw their trash away and head off to class. But she was just standing there and staring at Chad murderously. "You think I want to date some scum like Jay? He's a Villain Kid. And if you knew what was good for you, Chad, you wouldn't go after Evie either. She's not really good. None of them are. Or, at least, they won't be for long."

Not giving Chad a chance to respond, she snatched up her backpack and math binder and strode off to class. She had an exam to pass, and she couldn't waste any more time arguing over the validity of Jay's and Evie's place in Auradon today. If Chad and her were over, then that was it. He could do what he wanted, even if that was having a Villain Kid drag him down.


	4. Chapter 4

Just over two weeks later, Audrey sat on her bed with papers spread out in front of her on the comforter. They were final plans for her party that was happening in just two days. Yes, the party was still on since her math test had been returned to her with a low-scoring B marked on the top of it. Her parents had been happy, and now so was she. Everything for the ball was coming together.

Except one thing.

Every ball that Audrey had ever been to had had one key thing her party was lacking at the moment. That was a dance partner, or date. The girl or guy being honored at the ball always had a partner to share the night with. Of course, Chad had been Audrey's original plan for this role. But now, she had no one. She hadn't spoken to Chad much in these past two weeks due to party planning and him hanging out increasingly more with Evie. She wasn't even mad at him for cheating. But his decision to date Evie was another matter entirely.

"Maybe you could ask Jay," Jane said. She adjusted the belt of her dress and smoothed out a wrinkle in the skirt hem. She turned in the mirror to check her reflection.

Audrey rolled her eyes. She had just finished ranting to Jane about how her party was perfect except for the most important part. Without a date, she would just look foolish. It was tradition to bring a partner to one's own party.

"No thank you," Audrey said dryly and returned to leafing through the papers on her bed. The guest list was complete. It was also incredibly lengthy. She was having the ball at her parents' palace on the other side of Auradon City. The ballroom there was huge and could easily accommodate her guest list. This was especially good news since balls also had the tradition of allowing everyone to bring a date. Singles were allowed, of course, and people could bring friends as dates. That didn't matter. It was a birthday ball, so fun, food, and dancing were what really mattered.

Unfortunately, the one thing Audrey hadn't foreseen was the inclusion of the Villain Kids. She hadn't invited any of them, and she never would have guessed a month ago that they would have fit in so well as to each land an invitation to her party as a guest. Ben was bringing Mal, of course. Jane had invited Carlos. And now Chad was bringing Evie. That only left Jay out, which Jane was now offering as the last solution to Audrey's major problem of not having a date.

"Why not?" Jane asked, turning to face Audrey at last. They had spent the last half hour in distracted conversation whole Jane had gotten ready for yet another date with Carlos. "He's really nice."

"No, he's not," Audrey grumbled. She huffed and then said more clearly, "And you need to watch out for yourself. I don't like Carlos either."

Jane blinked at her. "What's wrong with Carlos? He's sweet and charming."

"Of course, he is. All boys are when they want, well...you know," Audrey said. She went back to her notes, picking up and examining the menu for the ball next.

Jane stomped over to the end of Audrey's bed, causing the latter to look up. Jane's face was flushed a bright strawberry color. "Carlos doesn't...we haven't...I...he's not like that. And, if you must know, he hasn't even kissed me yet!" She said the last part in a rush, and her face responded by getting even brighter with embarrassment.

Audrey set the menu back down on her bed. "Fine. Let's just imagine for a moment that he and the others are nice and sweet and charming like you say. It doesn't change who they are or who raised them. Sooner or later, they'll go back to being who they really are."

"You don't know that," Jane protested. She took a deep breath and then let it out, seeming to force herself to calm down. "Look, I'm going to go meet Carlos at his room in a few minutes for our date. Come with me. Invite Jay to your party as your date."

"I can't do that," Audrey said with a shake of her head.

"Why not? Give him a chance. You don't have to like him. Just take him as a friend. You've been complaining about having no options for who to take to your own party. He's basically the only person on campus that's not invited, Audrey."

Audrey frowned. No one outside of Jay, Carlos, Chad, and herself knew that she and Jay had hooked up at the coronation party. That meant any possible feelings that were lingering in her brain were virtually secret. No one outside of that group of four could guess that she might have feelings for Jay. If she took him as a friend, like Jane suggested, then maybe it was borderline acceptable. Just this once. Because she was desperate.

"Fine," Audrey said flatly. She stood and pulled on her shoes.

Jane grinned and bounded over to her own bed. She slung her purse over her shoulder and then walked with Audrey to the door.

Audrey followed Jane over to the boys' wing of the dorm. With every step, her heart began to beat a little faster. She hadn't talked to Jay since he had given her the white tulips. She had ended up keeping them in a vase in her room, but they were dead now and had gone in the trash, just like she had assumed her interactions with Jay were.

Once Jane had knocked, the door swung open quicker than Audrey had expected. Carlos stood on the other side, grinning and blushing brightly.

"Ready?" Jane asked sweetly.

Carlos nodded and stepped out into the hallway. With that, the pair left, and Audrey frowned at their retreating backs.

"Well, I didn't expect to see you back here."

Audrey spun back around to face the room. Jay stood there in only navy sweatpants.

"Uh, yeah, Jane convinced me to come talk to you about something," Audrey said.

Jay raised an eyebrow. "Would you like to come in?"

"No," Audrey said quickly. "No, this will only take a minute." She took a deep breath. "My birthday is in two days, and I-"

"Happy birthday."

"Yes, thank you. And I need a partner. Like, a dance partner. Nothing extravagant or complicated. So, Jane suggested I ask you because-"

"Because I'm the only person on campus not invited. So I'm your last option."

Audrey clenched her jaw shut, glaring at him. The guest list wasn't exactly a secret, but it felt as if he was making a jibe at her. She exhaled heavily through her nose. "Technically, yes, that's correct. But, she thought it would be good if I asked you to be my date. As a friend."

"We're friends now? That's a step up for us." Jay crossed his arms over his chest, but he was smiling.

"Look," Audrey snapped. "Do you want to come as my date or not?"

"I didn't hear you actually ask, princess." He grinned.

Audrey's face suddenly felt hot as she balled her hands into fists. "Fine. Jay, will you please be my date to my party on Saturday night?"

Jay's smile was warm as he replied. "I'd love to."

"As friends," Audrey reminded him.

He nodded. "As friends."

Audrey just nodded then, unsure of what else to say. She took a step back. "I, uh, I guess I'll see you Saturday then." She turned to go, then immediately turned back around. "Wait. It's a formal event. Do you have anything...like a tux?"

Jay raised an eyebrow. "You honestly think I own a tux?"

"Right," Audrey said, feeling stupid. The Isle was sent all of Auradon's trash to survive basically. And Jay wouldn't have any money to buy one. "I'm doing a last-minute fitting for my dress tomorrow at the boutique in town. They have tuxedos there. Meet me there at one. My parents will pay for a tux for you."


	5. Chapter 5

Audrey stood on the circular dais in the center of the fitting area. Five mirrors surrounded her, enabling her to examine her dress from all angles. It was a sleeveless pink ballgown. The top of it was a corset studded with pink gems. Behind her, her mother, who sat on the couch some distance from the dais, was reflected in all of the mirrors as well.

"The hem will have to be adjusted," said the seamstress that crouched beside the dais, a pincushion of needles bound to her wrist like a fat, bulbous corsage. She took one of these pins and slid it into place in the hem, marking where she would adjust it with a sewing machine later.

Audrey nodded. She had expected this. Back when she had picked out the dress, she had worn flat sandals to the first fitting. Now, she had finally selected the right heels to match the dress. This had caused a change in where the edge of the dress would need to be adjusted so she wouldn't trip over it on the night of her party.

As the seamstress progressed around Audrey in a circle, her fingers working to pin the dress evenly, Audrey's gaze flitted to the reflection of a clock in the mirror. Jay was running late. Maybe he had backed out. The thought sparked panic in her chest. She couldn't go to her own party without a date.

But just as the seamstress completed the pinning, a chime from the front of the shop sounded. Jay soon stepped through the doorway that led into the fitting area where Audrey stood and four fitting rooms made up the wall behind her mother. The panic in Audrey's chest instantly quelled.

Jay strode over to the dais. "You look beautiful." He held out a single yellow rose to her. Its petals had just begun to open, so the center was still curled in on itself like a cozy swirl of yellow blankets.

Audrey blinked at it and slowly reached out to take it. "Thank you," she whispered uncertainly. They had agreed to go to her party as friends, so why was he bringing her flowers? "Jay, I-"

"Yellow roses are for friendship," Jay explained, seeming to read her mind. "Just like white tulips are for forgiveness." He raised an eyebrow as if daring her to challenge him.

She nodded and twirled the stem of the rose slowly between her fingers. Then she blinked as if just remembering they weren't the only two people there. "Uh, Mom, this is Jay," she said hurriedly, looking over to the sofa.

Aurora stood and walked over to them. She shook Jay's hand in greeting. "Nice to meet you, Jay. I wanted to let you know that I'll take care of all the expenses." She turned to Audrey. "I still have to run to the bakery to make sure preparations for the cake are on schedule. Can you finish up here?"

Audrey nodded. "Yeah, that's fine."

"Good. Meet you at the cafe for lunch then." Aurora swooped down and kissed her on both cheeks before leaving the store.

Audrey turned to the seamstress. "Marsha, we're going to need everything for Jay. Pants, jacket, shirt, tie, shoes. Are we done with the adjustments for my dress?"

The seamstress nodded. "Yes. Just return it to the hanger, and the adjustments will be finished this afternoon." She then disappeared through the doorway to the front of the store to retrieve all the clothing items for Jay. This left Audrey alone with Jay, and the thought was both terrifying and exhilarating. Audrey couldn't place where the latter emotion was rooted, and it irritated her.

"So, I'm guessing pink will be the theme of this party," Jay said. His gaze slid up and down the silhouette of her dress. "You really are...beautiful."

Audrey hated herself for blushing. To shake off this embarrassment, she cleared her throat and walked over to the couch her mother had recently vacated. She laid the rose down next to her purse before straightening. "Thank you," she said. "Anyhow, I need to get changed. Just wait for Marsha to get back."

She hurried into the first dressing room where her clothes that she had originally worn into the boutique were laid over the back of the fitting room chair. Her hands slid behind her back and began unlacing the corset of the dress. After several minutes, she had only managed to loosen it enough to allow herself one inch of wiggle room. Her arms were hurting from the twisted positions she had put them in just trying to undo more of the laces so she could get out of it.

"Having trouble?" Jay's voice came from the other side of the door. It seemed he had positioned himself just beyond the door.

Audrey frowned. "No, but...uh, is Marsha not back yet?"

"No. You did give her a lot to find though," Jay said pointedly.

Audrey huffed and considered her options. She could wait until the seamstress returned to help her out of the dress. But she was already tired of standing and trying to get herself out of it. Now, it just felt suffocating, as if her inability to get it off was making her panic. That meant that her other option was the quickest way out of the dress: to simply ask Jay for assistance. He had helped her with one of her dresses before the morning after the coronation. But, actually asking him was a different story.

A moment passed with Audrey waging a mental war with herself. Then, Jay made the decision for her. "Would you like some help?" he asked.

Tight knots of nerves and panic seized Audrey's chest. But she slowly reached forward and unlocked the fitting room door. "Yes," she said, having opened the door.

Jay stepped into the small space and shut the door behind him. Having the door open actually made it more cramped. He did not lock it. "Just undoing the laces?" he asked, moving to stand behind her.

Audrey nodded, her hands pressed to her sternum to hold the dress up against her chest. Once he got the ties loose enough, the dress could slip off her easily, and she didn't want it falling and leaving her virtually naked.

"Got it," Jay said softly.

Audrey watched him in the mirror in front of her. His gaze started at the base of her spine where his hands were. As he worked the laces looser and looser, both his gaze and his hands traveled up to where the dress stopped just below her shoulder blades.

"There," Jay said. His gaze met hers in the mirror, and she felt a shiver run down her spine. There was a momentary pause, and he said, "You act as if I'm going to eat you."

Audrey frowned at him in the mirror. "Just because you've seen me naked once doesn't automatically make this ok."

"That's not the point. Why are you trying so hard to resist this?" He rested one hand on her waist, and when she didn't object, he slid his arms around her waist from behind. "What's wrong with this picture?" he asked, nodding to their conjoined reflection in the mirror.

Audrey considered it for a moment, her eyes traveling from her reflection to his and then taking in the sight of them together. "Because it isn't right," she mumbled.

"Give me a reason it's wrong," Jay countered. "If you don't feel anything for me, then fine. But I need to hear you say it."

"I-"

"Alright," came Marsha's voice from somewhere in the small store. Footsteps on the hardwood floor sent the message that she was approaching the fitting room area. "I've got several jackets, and-"

Audrey and Jay didn't wait to hear the rest. Jay slipped out the door with surprising agility and shut it behind him just as Audrey caught sight of Marsha entering the fitting area. Audrey shut the door of her room and slid out of her dress. She replaced it on its hanger and changed back into her ordinary clothes.

As she adjusted her skirt in the mirror, Audrey couldn't help but feel relief and gratitude toward the friendly seamstress and shop owner. She hadn't been prepared for Jay's request. How could she tell him that she had feelings for him but didn't wish to act on them? Sure, Jay was nice enough now, but he was still a Villain Kid. That would never change. And she had standards. Standards that demanded she marry well. She couldn't waste her time with someone like Jay. Yes, these feelings...they would just have to go away.


	6. Chapter 6

"Come on, just try again. You almost had it," Ben said.

Jay clenched his jaw tightly. He felt foolish and tired. They had been at this for over an hour, and he still hadn't quite gotten it down smoothly.

Jay, Mal, Carlos, and Evie had been joined by Ben, Jane, and Chad upon Jay's request. So, it was his fault really that he was in this predicament. Ben, Jane, and Chad were teaching the Villain Kids to dance, like ballroom dance. Just before leaving the boutique that morning, Audrey had mentioned that she and Jay would need to dance at the beginning of the party. Alone. In front of everyone.

Panicked, Jay had gone to Mal and mentioned this. There had been exactly zero opportunities on the Isle to learn courtier dancing. So, one thing had led to another, and well, that was how the impromptu dance lessons had been scheduled for that evening in Mal and Evie's dorm room. They had pushed all the furniture to the sides of the room to clear a space in the middle. With the Auradon natives leading their respective Isle partners, the teaching had begun. Jay had simply watched for a while but was now switching between Mal and Evie as his partner to practice with.

"This is hopeless," Jay said, dropping the waltz hold with Mal again and frowning.

"No, it's ok." Ben stepped forward and nudged them back together, repositioning their hold where necessary.

"Easy for you to say," Jay grumbled. "You probably learned to dance before you could walk."

"I was six actually. Mom hired me a tutor. But that's not the point." Ben waved a hand dismissively. "Try again." He pressed a button on the stereo and delicate music drifted through the room, its melody rising and falling like waves of silk.

Jay began dancing, leading Mal through the steps. He abruptly stepped on her foot and dropped her hand. "No, I just...I can't do this." He scrubbed a hand over his face, annoyed with himself. What was wrong with him? Evie and Mal had learned the steps easily. And even Carlos was pretty confident in the dance now. But Jay just couldn't grasp it. He kept stepping on Mal's feet or mixing up which hand held hers and which rested on her waist. And the party was less than twenty-four hours away. There was no way he could do it. He would just duck out and apologize to Audrey the next day. That was the best solution rather than embarrassing her at her own party.

"Why don't we take a break?" Ben suggested. He stopped the music, and Carlos and Jane stopped dancing, followed soon by Evie and Chad. They all broke apart, drifting to the fringes of the room where the chairs were and where they had set up water and pretzels on the table that was now near the window.

Jay sat on the end of Mal's bed. He pinched the bridge of his nose and squeezed his eyes shut.

"Hey," Mal said, taking a seat beside him. She pushed a glass of water into his hand. "You'll get it."

Jay stared at the water, watching the ripples dance across the surface of the water from the shaking of his hands. "Easy for you to say. You won't be being watched so closely. People will notice if I make a mistake."

"That's..." Mal paused and glanced to the others as if to make sure none of them were listening. She looked back at Jay. "That's not the only reason you're nervous. You want to impress Audrey, don't you?"

Jay took a long drink of water before finally deciding he would have to answer or she'd keep him sitting there all night. He lowered the glass and ran the tip of his index finger around the rim. "What gives you that idea?"

"Carlos spilled the beans about you and Audrey getting together after the coronation."

Heated burst in Jay's chest and rushed to his fingers. He forced his grip on the glass to remain slack even though he wanted desperately to shatter it. It wasn't that he minded Mal knowing, but the more people that knew, the harder it would be to hide his emotions if nothing ever came of his affections for Audrey. She had already done enough damage by slicing his heart in two by specifically stating they would be going to the party as friends. But, he had reasoned, perhaps it was still a step in the right direction if he played his cards right.

"Jay, why keep it a secret? You're Audrey's date," Mal said. She smiled. "You're going to have lots of fun tomorrow with her."

Jay frowned. "She told me we're going as friends. She doesn't want to date me because of my history."

"You mean your dad?"

"That and stealing. All of that stuff that people judged us for because of how we grew up. She doesn't want to look past it. But...I don't know...I've seen it...in her eyes...she's willing to look past it, but something stops her every time. She's warring with herself, and I hate it. I'm at her mercy."

Mal turned her attention to Ben on the other side of the room. He was laughing at something Chad had said. She turned back to Jay, and he was surprised to see her smile was bright and encouraging. "That's what love is, Jay. It's being vulnerable with someone. And it's scary. It's so scary. But, it's worth it."

"Only if she returns it," Jay said. "If she pushes me away...what do I do?"

"Her loss."

"Easy for you to say."

"Yes. But then she might realize exactly what she's lost and get over herself," Mal said.

Jay managed a laugh. "If you say so."

"Hey, trust me. Mal knows best."

Jay just rolled his eyes. "Yeah, ok, whatever you say."

Mal laughed and stood. She extended a hand to him. "Come on, let's try that waltz again. You have a princess to impress."


	7. Chapter 7

Audrey twisted the pink sapphire bracelet around her wrist. She had spun it around her wrist nearly fifty times now. She huffed a sigh and turned to her mother. They stood outside the doors to the ballroom of Aurora's palace. Beyond the high oak doors, music pulsed and laughter and chatter rose and fell in waves. Her guests were having fun without her already. She had been expected to start the party with a dance with Jay, but after thirty minutes of waiting on him, she had allowed the DJ to start the music without her.

"I just can't believe this!" Audrey snapped. She crossed her arms over her chest to avoid more constant fidgeting with her bracelet. "This is getting ridiculous. Should I just go in?"

"I told you," Aurora sighed at her. "The driver picked up Jay. But he wanted to run an errand first."

"An errand," Audrey muttered. How dare Jay want to run an errand of any sort on the night of her party. He had certainly bailed. This was his way of getting back at her for being so rude to him. Maybe this had been his plan all along since she asked him to be her date to her party. She knew it had been a mistake. She shouldn't have asked him. By now, going dateless would have been better than being stood up.

The entrance hall doors opened, and Jay strode into the palace. Audrey's breath caught in her throat, no longer sure where she had been in the middle of an inhale or exhale. Jay wore a suit of black and a pink tie that matched her dress. She had seen him try on the items at the boutique, but it was quite different seeing the whole outfit together at once now.

As he approached, Audrey saw he had pulled his hair back into a low ponytail at the base of his neck. Not a single hair was out of place. He looked quite nice...put together...handsome.

Audrey shook her head, frowning. "You're late. Very late."

Jay smiled softly and gestured to a clear box he was holding. She hadn't even cared to notice it; her eyes had never left his face. "For a good reason. The florist had misplaced your corsage."

Audrey's gaze fell to the box. Inside the clear plastic was a corsage of pink roses and baby's breath. "You...what? Why did you get this? It wasn't...it wasn't necessary." Her cheeks felt as if they had taken on the color of her dress.

Aurora swept over, smiling. "I told you he had an errand. I'll go signal the DJ." She winked and opened one of the doors to the ballroom. Music and voices swelled for a moment as Aurora slipped inside. The door shut, dulling the sounds of the party once more.

Audrey couldn't look at Jay, horrifically ashamed of her assumptions of his reasons for being late. "It really isn't necessary," she whispered to the floor.

One of Jay's hands found her chin, and his fingers pulled her face back to look at him. A soft smile lit his features. "To me, it is. You deserve all the flowers in the world. You have so much in common with them." He lowered his hand and opened the box to lift out the corsage.

"How so?" Audrey asked. She hesitantly offered him her wrist without the bracelet, and he slid the elastic band of the corsage onto her wrist.

Jay closed the empty box and walked over a few paces to place it on a table in the entrance hall. He returned to her side before answering. "You're both beautiful and the more you try to catch that beauty, the quicker it slips away. I realize I have to accept that I will never be able to hold onto you. I keep trying, and you keep pulling away. You'll never be comfortable with this, and you deserve a relationship you have no doubts about. It would be wrong to ask you to give in to only half of yourself when the other half rejects even the merest idea of me. It will just prolong the inevitable hurt for me."

"I-"

"Audrey." Jay shook his head. "You've made it pretty clear, so I've made up my mind to stop trying. But I agreed to escort you tonight. As friends. I'll hold to that, don't worry."

Before Audrey could respond, Aurora poked her head out of the ballroom doors. Audrey hadn't even noticed that the music had changed from upbeat dance music to a slow waltz. "We're ready, dear," her mother said.

Jay smiled at Audrey and offered her his arm, clearly acting as if he wasn't hiding his pain behind a mask that Audrey could see straight through.

* * *

Their opening dance was smooth and delightful. Audrey stepped with Jay at all the right moments, and he spun and dipped her at all the appropriate times as well, and they completed the Auradon Waltz with zero stumbles or mishaps.

"Where did you learn to dance like that?" Audrey asked now that they were no longer the center of attention. The upbeat music had returned to replace their waltz, and the other Auradon Prep students had converged on the dance floor once more to form a mass of moving bodies. Jay and Audrey, however, had simply shifted to the very edge of the dance floor, holding each other in a slow and swaying embrace. Audrey's arms were around his neck, and she didn't seem ready to release him. If she did, it was as if a spell would be broken and he might dissolve into nothingness. He would no longer pursue a relationship with her if she let him go even once.

She was not leading him on. She didn't believe in such things. But while she wanted to simply let him go and forget their time together, she couldn't. Something inside her would not permit a loosening on the emotions she held for Jay. And she wasn't even sure what those emotions were anymore!

"Let's just say I didn't get a lot of sleep last night," Jay answered coyly. He grinned.

Audrey raised an eyebrow. "I'll guess..." She mulled over names in her mouth before continuing, "that Ben taught you. Am I right?"

Jay laughed and nodded. "That obvious? Actually...how was that obvious?"

Audrey smiled. "We take ballroom dance in eighth grade here. Ben was the best in the class because he's had lessons since he was little. If anyone could teach you in a single night, it's Ben."

"You've got me there then." His eyes were warm as he studied her, and he pulled her closer. His eyes were suddenly serious, sober. He lowered his voice. "I promised not to pursue you or press you further, Audrey. But, please...just tell me outright that you feel nothing. Do it, so I can move on. I don't want to continue to feel warm and happy even as daggers pierce me every time I look at you and think about what I can never have."

"I..." Audrey swallowed and slid her hands from his neck. But she stopped with her hands pressed to his chest. She closed her eyes, trying to gather her thoughts together over the pounding of the music. "I can't," she told him. "I can't tell you that I feel nothing for you. Because it would be a lie."

"But you're still not totally comfortable with this," Jay said.

"Perhaps."

A moment passed in which the only reason Audrey knew Jay had not left her was because she was still touching his chest and his arms were still around her waist.

Another second slid by, and Audrey felt Jay press closer, could feel his face next to hers, his cheek touching hers.

"Tell me to stop," he said into her ear. He pressed a kiss to her jaw, slow and deliberate. Then another, and another, and another, working a path down her jaw to the corner of her mouth. "Tell me," he breathed, "to stop, Audrey."

But Audrey couldn't. His kisses had lit her skin on fire, and a longing had burst into being in her chest. His mouth was a centimeter from hers. So, in reply to him, she tilted her head up a fraction, and her lips met his.

Instantly, his hands moved to cup her face, and he was kissing her with such fervor that she stumbled into him. Her hands gripped his shirt, wrinkling the starched fabric.

Then Lonnie's chiming giggle punctuated the air close to them, and Audrey pulled back, wrenched back to reality. All their friends were around them. No one was looking at them, but they were surrounded. Instantly, the thoughts bombarded Audrey again: What would people think of her being with Jay? Had anyone seen that kiss? It couldn't happen again.

She saw the sadness in Jay's eyes as she shook her head. She took a step back and gathered her skirts into her fists before taking off for the door.


	8. Chapter 8

"Audrey looked beautiful, didn't she? She and Jay make such a cute couple." Evie smiled at she spoke. She plucked a cheese cube from her plate and popped it into her mouth. The food in Auradon was so amazing. She thought she would never get tired of all the sweet and savory flavors that, previously deprived of, she now had at her fingertips.

"They do," Chad agreed. He nudged his his own food around his small plate, his eyes flitting between the strawberries, cheese, and crackers. "Too bad that they'll never get together."

Evie finished her cheese cube and set her plate beside her on the bedspread. She and Chad had ducked away from the party for a few minutes. Here, in an unused guest bedroom, they could actually talk without having to yell over the music. They had brought a few plates of snacks from the party to enjoy in the quiet before diving back into the fray. They wouldn't be missed for a while yet, and Evie craved the time alone with Chad. "Why not? I mean...Jay might've mentioned something about Audrey still having issues with us VKs, but...the way they danced...they couldn't take their eyes off of each other. Are you sure she hasn't changed her mind?"

"Yeah," Chad said, and he sighed. "I honestly don't know what her problem is. She thinks people will look down on her or something for even associating herself with Jay."

"But, no one has a problem with Ben being with Mal. Or with Jane being with Carlos." Evie tucked a stray piece of blue hair behind her ear. "Even if they previously did, everything's changed since the coronation. Hasn't it?"

Chad shrugged a shoulder. "It seems so. But not for Audrey. She's...honestly, sometimes she's just too stubborn for her own good."

Evie nodded. "I know Jay just wants to be happy. I hate to see him so disappointed all the time." She paused and reached for Chad's unoccupied hand, entwining their fingers. "Does anyone have a problem with us?"

Chad set his plate down and brought his hand to rest on top of their joined ones. "No. Dad's surprised how quickly we got together though. Mom thinks we're cute. Ben and the rest of the tourney team keeps teasing me. All in good fun, of course."

"Even Jay and Carlos?" Evie asked, raising an eyebrow.

"They're the worst of the lot!" Chad laughed.

Evie smiled and darted in to plant a small kiss on his cheek. "It's what they do best, you know."

Chad nodded, and they fell silent for a few seconds. Evie worried her bottom lip between her teeth.

"What is it?" Chad asked, shifting slightly closer.

She looked up at him. "I just...Auradon is everything I've ever dreamed it would be. And I've found my prince." She smiled and gave his hand a light squeeze at this. "We're all finding our happy endings, or at least, a happier life than we had. But, I can't help but feel sorry for Jay. Audrey's toying with him. I mean, maybe not on purpose, but going back and forth on wanting to be with him and then not...it has to be hurting him."

"I know." Chad rubbed his thumb over the back of Evie's hand in small circles. "Sometimes, after tourney practice, he'll still be in the showers after everyone else has left or is walking out. He seems distracted...less lively. We'll have team pizza nights, and he'll sit in silence until we make him talk."

"You think all of that has to do with Audrey?" Evie asked.

"I think love makes us all a little distracted. And when that same love is hurting you, it can be disastrous. It takes up all of your thought process. Don't you think?"

Evie smiled and nodded. "Doug gets frustrated with me all the time when we're doing homework. I'll doodle your name in the margins. Or my name with your last name, and yeah, Doug says I'm distracted all the time." A blush had nestled itself into Evie's cheeks at her confession. But she couldn't bring herself to care. Chad brought out her most vulnerable self and made her feel safe divulging even the darkest parts of herself. She didn't know any firm definition of love, but if she had to explain it, she would have said something akin to that.

Chad laughed and leaned forward, his mouth a mere centimeter from hers. "Why do you blush when you say stuff like that? It's adorable."

"It's embarrassing," Evie countered, but she was now hyper-aware of Chad's mouth being so close to hers. Every time he exhaled, his breath tickled her lips.

"It's love. Who says you won't be Mrs. Charming someday?" With that, he pressed his mouth to hers, blending his warmth with hers in a delicate dance of mouth and tongue, kiss and touch. His hands moved to her waist, and he pulled her swiftly into his lap.

* * *

Just outside the door of a bedroom they always keep made up for guests, Audrey hovered with her dress still clutched firmly in her hands. She had run out of the ballroom, needing an escape from her confused emotions about Jay. She needed to get away. She needed to think.

But around the bend of a corridor on the way to her room, she had stopped. A sliver of light underneath a door of a room that should have been dark had stopped her. And the voices, unmistakably Chad's and Evie's, had kept her there, listening.

Now, she felt sick. They had said she was hurting Jay, and what was worse was that everyone seemed to know it. She needed to tell Jay what she wanted and stick to a decision. Either be with him or put herself as far from him as possible. But, it didn't feel that simple. All of her life, she had assumed, given her status and Auradon's density of royals in one place, that she would marry a prince. So, even if she wanted to be with Jay, wouldn't it be wrong to date him if she didn't want to try having a future with him? Wasn't that the point of dating - to find someone you wanted to spend the rest of your life with? Otherwise, it would just be a game in which everyone lost in the end. How could she begin a relationship with Jay while assuming it would end for her to one day marry a prince?

It was twisted. And torturous. Her own assumptions were choking her. Killing her. Could she see herself wanting to marry Jay? Wanting to try a future with him? Her mind seemed to shut that thought down every time she tried to probe the idea of such a future.

Tears burned at the corners of her eyes. An invisible rope closed around her throat, also burning as she swallowed the urge to burst into sobs.

Beyond the door, there was a giggle and the creak of the mattress.

Audrey instantly fled down the hall in the direction of her room. She didn't know whether Chad and Evie were leaving the room or simply getting more comfortable in the guest room. But she didn't want to find out. She had her own emotions to deal with.


	9. Chapter 9

Audrey shut the door to her room with an audible click. As if that were her body's cue, tears instantly cascaded from her eyes. They ran rivers down her cheeks as the will to hold them back any longer broke. She slumped onto edge of her bed, the folds of her dress bending around her strangely and the corset pressing into her ribs. She buried her face in her hands as she cried.

She was hurting Jay. Sure, part of her had realized this on some level. But...to hear other people talk about it and acknowledge it was strange. So many people didn't even care that the VKs were dating Auradon Prep students. It seemed like they had accepted it as completely normal according to how Chad and Evie had been discussing the matter. So what was wrong with her that she couldn't get past Jay's DNA herself?

A knock sounded on the closed door. Before Audrey could protest, the door opened, and her mother stepped inside.

"Oh, Audrey, darling." Aurora shut the door behind her and swept over to her sobbing daughter.

Audrey wiped at her eyes. "It's nothing."

Aurora sat beside her on the bed. "It's not nothing if you're up here crying during your own party."

Audrey shook her head. This wasn't something she wanted to say out loud. She had enough trouble admitting things to herself. But the words spilled from her anyway. "It's Jay."

"I figured. Did he say something?" Aurora's voice was instantly cold and severe. "I saw you run off the dance floor."

Audrey shook her head again. "I just...I'm just conflicted."

"About what? You seem to really like Jay."

"I do." Audrey dropped her hands into her lap. "But he's a Villain Kid."

"So? What does that have to do with anything?" Aurora tucked a piece of her blonde hair behind her ear and raised an eyebrow at her daughter.

"He's not royalty! I'm supposed to marry a prince and all of that," Audrey said, the words coming in a rush. She squeezed her hands into fists in her lap. "No matter how much I like him, it will end horribly."

"Sweetheart, who ever told you that you have to marry royalty?"

Audrey frowned at her mother. "We live in Auradon. Everyone is somehow connected to royalty. And, I'm your heir. Shouldn't I be marrying royalty?"

"Your father and I have never made that a rule. If we gave you that idea, I'm sorry. That's a standard you've set for yourself, not us and not Auradon either." Aurora folded her hands gracefully in her lap. "Not everyone in Auradon who married royalty was even close to it. Charming married Cindy. Adam married Belle. Naveen married Tiana."

"Yes, but Cinderella, Belle, and Tiana were all hard workers and stuff like that. They had aspirations. They weren't thieves. They weren't looked down upon," Audrey said. She sighed and sniffled.

Aurora rolled her eyes. "I believe if you asked them whether or not everyone approved of them, you would receive a very firm 'no.' And, I know that they don't live in the city, but you do remember Rapunzel and Jasmine?"

"Of course." Audrey frowned. Then she put the pieces together. Rapunzel had married Eugene, a thief. Jasmine had married Aladdin, also a thief. "Oh."

Aurora nodded. "The past doesn't make a person's present or future. The past only informs us of what we want to continue or change about ourselves, and I believe those four from the Isle are doing just that. They aren't perfect Auradon citizens like we've grown to expect over the years, but maybe that's the point. They're finally able to decide who they are out of the shadow of their parents. By throwing their past back into their faces, they are only reminded of the people they no longer want to be and feel like they can't escape."

Audrey stared at her hands in her lap, hot embarrassment in her cheeks. She felt so ashamed. Now it was clear that she had been hurting Jay in multiple ways. Leave it to her mother to make her see clearly. Of course, mothers had a talent for that.

Aurora's voice was softer when she spoke again. "My point is, Audrey, that you cannot continue to compare Jay to his past on the Isle. You can only compare what he says with his actions now. If he's told you he wants to be good, then his actions should reflect that. And don't let the fact that he's not royalty be a factor. That has never been a standard in Auradon. A lot of those who are royals now were not before their marriages."

Audrey nodded and wiped at her eyes again, clearing the last bit of moisture from her face. Black and beige smudges colored the tips of her fingers. She sighed and curled her hand into a fist so she wouldn't accidentally get the makeup on her dress. "I need to fix my makeup and find Jay."

"He left shortly after you ran off," Aurora said. "I'm sorry, sweetheart."

"Oh." Audrey's stomach plummeted to somewhere around her knees. Jay had left?

Aurora stood and offered her hand to Audrey. She helped Audrey to her feet. "Come on, fix your makeup and go back downstairs to your guests. You can talk with him another night when you've both had time to reflect."

Audrey nodded and turned to look in the mirror. Her mascara, eye liner, and foundation had smudged. She looked like a grief-stricken raccoon. She sighed and turned back to her mother. "Will you help me?"

Aurora smiled and nodded.


	10. Chapter 10

Jay walked into his and Carlos's room and tossed his gym bag on the floor next to the door. He shut the door behind him and collapsed back against it. It was the day after Audrey's party, and he had spent every waking minute of it on the tourney field running drills and practice plays by himself.

Carlos grunted in his sleep and shifted closer to Jane. Unable to sleep after coming back from Audrey's party early the previous night, Jay had pretended to be asleep when Carlos and Jane had entered the room. Even with his back to Carlos's bed, he had heard them kissing for several minutes. Eventually, everything had gone quiet. When Jay had left at sunrise for the tourney field, they had been curled around each other, peacefully asleep.

Looking at them now with their bodies pressed close together under the sheets, Jay would be lying if he were to say he wasn't jealous. Carlos had it too easy. Shit, all three of his Isle friends had it too easy when it came to love. Mal had fallen into a real-life fairytale with Ben. Evie and Chad had just magically drifted together until they connected. Carlos and Jane had been together ever since Carlos had shaken the nerves to ask Jane out and Jane had gained more self-confidence. Fate was on all of their sides. But that didn't seem to be the case for Jay. Every time Audrey got close to breaking down whatever walls were separating her and Jay from happiness, she would rebuild them with twice the defenses.

And Jay was tired of it.

He was tired of not knowing whether the next time he saw her would be with a smile or a frown from her. He just wanted a straight answer: did she want to try dating or not? Yes or no. It was that simple. If she said no, he would leave her alone.

But she still hadn't given him an answer. They had kissed at her party - a searing, spine-melting kiss. And she had ran.

He just didn't understand girls, apparently.

Jay sighed and dragged a hand through his damp hair. The tourney practice and shower afterwards had done him a lot of good to relax him. But now, being back in the room and seeing Jane and Carlos still like that...it was maddening.

He walked over to his own bed, choosing to ignore them for now. It was past noon, but he knew they were probably exhausted.

He was about to climb into the bed to take a nap when he saw what was lying in the center of the comforter - a sprig of dark red carnations with a piece of paper tucked underneath them. Those had definitely not been there when he had left that morning.

He picked up the note and read: _The roof. Midnight. -A_

* * *

Audrey paced nervously. It was five minutes past midnight, and Jay wasn't there. Maybe he hadn't gotten her note. Had he not gone back to his room after tourney drills? She had seen him practicing and that was how she knew she could place the flowers and note in his room undetected. Maybe he had thought she meant another roof. But, she didn't know how that would make sense. She was on the dormitory roof. His room was just two floors below her feet. Surely, he would have assumed this roof first before any others. Or maybe he didn't want to come. He was probably angry at her for her behavior toward him and for running away at the party. She wouldn't blame him if he didn't show up.

If he didn't show though, she would feel like a fool. She had brought up candles and placed them around the certain space of the roof where she stood. They were lit now, and sprigs of dark red carnations identical to the one she had left for Jay in his room lay interspersed among them. She had tried to make it look as romantic as possible, and she would be crushed if he didn't come now.

As she paced back the other way, her gaze flitted back to the door that she had been watching for the last fifteen minutes. It was the only way up to the roof, and every time she looked at it, she was disappointed to see it still firmly shut.

She clicked a button on her phone to check the time again and sighed. 12:07. He wasn't coming. He wouldn't have been late for this. At least, she hoped that was the case.

She tucked her phone back into the pocket of her pale pink shorts and hugged her arms around herself. She'd give him one more minute and then leave. She already felt incredibly foolish.

By the time she checked her phone again, it was 12:09. She put it back in her pocket and crouched down to blow out the first of many candles.

"What? That's it? Nine minutes is all you were willing to give me?"

Audrey shot to her feet, startled. She looked to the door to the roof, but no one was there. She slowly spun in a circle, trying to pinpoint where Jay's voice had come from.

Facing away from the door, she finally saw him as he stepped out of the shadows. "But..." She shook her head. "I never saw you come up."

Jay shrugged his shoulders. His hands were tucked into the pockets of his jeans. He wore a red and yellow plaid flannel shirt. "I don't need a door to get up here."

"You mean you climbed up here?" Audrey asked.

"You act surprised. I wanted to see how long you would wait for me. I've been here for about fifteen minutes now," Jay said, walking over to her where she stood surrounded by candles and carnations.

Audrey rolled her eyes, almost tempted to punch him. He had purposely made her squirm and worry. How rude. "I would have given you longer, but I assumed you were angry with me after last night."

Jay frowned and stopped right in front of her. "That's the problem. You assume too much about me."

Audrey felt warm pressure in her cheeks as a blush blossomed there. He was right. Assuming things about him were what had landed her in this mess in the first place. If she had only talked to her mother earlier, she might have avoided dragging Jay's heart around for the last few weeks.

"Anyways," Jay said. "You wanted to see me here for some reason?" His eyes traveled over the candles and flowers and back to her face. He raised an eyebrow.

"Don't play dumb," Audrey said, still embarrassed by the fact her had watched her pace for fifteen minutes waiting on him.

Jay crossed his arms over his chest. "I don't have to play dumb. I'm often wrong about what you're up to or what you're wanting, so I'm going to need you to say it aloud this time. What do you want, Audrey?"

Audrey sighed and looked away. "I...I'm sorry. I'm sorry for how I've treated you since the coronation. Well, and before it. I'm just sorry, ok? I want to try this. I want to try us being together."

"What changed your mind?" Jay asked.

"My mother talked me through how stupid I was being basically," Audrey said. She looked back up at him and managed a laugh.

Jay smiled slightly, but he stood his ground, his arms still crossed over his chest and his body shifted away from her. "Are you sure? Because, I don't want to allow myself to hope and get crushed even worse."

Audrey nodded and took a step forward. She gripped his arms just above his elbows. "I'm sure. I'm not saying it will be an automatic Happily Ever After, but I think I'd like to have a chance at one with you." Her blush was back now, but she couldn't find it in herself to care. She needed him to say that he still wanted this. "Please," she added, "if it's not too late."

Jay unfolded his arms and moved one hand to her cheek. "Audrey, it's never too late. I know how I feel about you. I just needed to know that you were sure of how you feel. And if you're sure-"

"I'm sure," Audrey said, stepping even closer. Her torso now brushed his. "I was being stupid. I was scared of what people would think. I thought that I needed to marry royalty to have a happy life, but I see that isn't true anymore. I want to try being with you. I want to stop all the games and just enjoy being with you. I want to let myself do that."

Jay nodded, his thumb traveling over her cheek in repeated strokes as she spoke. He slipped his other arm around her waist to hold her close. "That's all I ever wanted was to try us together." He pressed a kiss to her forehead and sighed lightly, happily.

Audrey smiled and linked her arms around his neck. "Then let's try."

And she kissed him fully on the mouth. This time, when she felt the pull of passion, she didn't stop; she didn't run. She gave in, pressing herself fully to him and reveling in the warmth of his embrace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N from original upload on fanfiction.net (3/14/2017): Thank you guys so much for reading this story! I know this story has gone through periods of no updates for months, but it is finally completed. Thank you so much for sticking with it and continuing to read. My stories would not be possible without you guys as supportive readers and reviewers. But as I said, this story is now complete and will not receive any new updates. If you wish to know when I post new stuff, please give me an author follow and be sure to check out my other stories. For now, keep reading and keep loving life.
> 
> Foarrin


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